nimbus

American  

[nim-buhs] / ˈnɪm bəs /

noun

plural

nimbi, nimbuses

1. Classical Mythology. a shining cloud sometimes surrounding a deity when on earth.

2. a cloud, aura, atmosphere, etc., surrounding a person or thing.

   The candidate was encompassed with a nimbus of fame.

3. halo.

4. the type of dense clouds or cloud mass with ragged edges, that yields rain or snow; a rain cloud.

5. (initial capital letter) one of a series of polar-orbiting meteorological and environmental research satellites, the last of which Nimbus 7, launched 1978, was the first satellite designed to monitor atmospheric pollutants.

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nimbus British  

/ ˈnɪmbəs /

noun

1. 1. a dark grey rain-bearing cloud

   2. ( in combination )

      cumulonimbus clouds

2. 1. an emanation of light surrounding a saint or deity

   2. a representation of this emanation

3. a surrounding aura or atmosphere

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nimbus Scientific  

/ nĭm′bəs /

plural

nimbi

1. A rain cloud.

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Other Word Forms

• nimbused adjective

Etymology

Origin of nimbus

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin, “rainstorm, rain cloud, thundercloud, cloud”; akin to Latin nebula and Greek nephélē, néphos “cloud,” and Slavic ( Polish ) niebo “sky, heaven”

Example Sentences

Scheib’s staging, just Bayreuth’s 11th “Parsifal” production, paid homage to Wieland Wagner’s breakthrough 1951 minimalist sets with a circle of light that represented both the knights’ round table and a flying nimbus above the wasteland.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 26, 2023

Humanizing Bunny is in keeping with the show's general nimbus of empathy for all of its personalities, even its villains.

From Salon • Jul. 6, 2022

In any case, Ms. Morris continued with her writing life much as before, only wearing skirts, necklaces, a nimbus of graying hair and a perpetual smile.

From Washington Post • Nov. 20, 2020

The effect was less a series of scaffolding than a surreal nimbus — a white thought in a green shade.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2020

A nimbus of mist surrounded every streetlight so that they looked like golden dandelion seed heads, and the drip of water from the eaves was unceasing as Coram and Sophonax walked slowly along the riverfront.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman